Preventing deterioration in rail fastenings and the like



Nov. 20, 1945. J. R. sNYDER PREVENTING DETERIORATION IN'RAIL FASTENlNGAND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 16, 1943 Patented Nov. 20, 1945 PREVENTINGDETEmoRA'rIoN IN RA'IL FAs'rENINcs AND THE LIKE Jacob Rush Snyder,Cleveland, Ohio Application October 16,1943, Serial No.v 506,498

('Cl. 23S-366) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to connections in which a fastening member orspike extends into' a wooden member, and aims to provide a novelconnection of this kind wherein a preservative material preventscorrosion or deterioration of the fastening member and of that portionof the wooden member into which the fastening member extends.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fastening, forrailway use or other purposes, wherein a fastening member driven into abored hole of a wooden member causes preservative material to be forcedfrom such hole to impregnate the adjacent portions of the wooden memberand also to form a protective coating on certain portions of thefastening member which would otherwise be exposed to corrosiveinfluences.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improvedfastening,of the character mentioned, in which the preservative material isinitially confined in a capsule or the like adapted to be freelyinserted into the bored hole.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view showing al rail fastening as representing oneimportant use for my invention.

Fig.D 2 is a partial transverse sectional view taken through such railfastening on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar partial sectional views further illustratingthe application of the invention to a screw spike and showing such spikein partially driven positions.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the screw spike while in apartially driven position, such view being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 6 and '7 are sectional views similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but showinga conventional cut spike in partially driven positions and Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional view taken through the cut spike While in apartially driven position, the view being taken on line of Fig. 6.

Before proceeding with the detailed description, I wish to point outthat my invention is applicable to numerous fastenings of the'kind inwhich a spike or other fastening member is driven into a wooden tie ortimber and the Projecting portion of the said spike is exposed to theweather or other corrosive or deteriorating influences, but isespecially valuable for rail fastenings wher the spikes and' theportions of the wooden ties into which the spikes are driven areparticularly vulnerable to such inuences. 'This problem or condition isfurther aggravated by the dripping of brine from refrigerator cars ontothe ties and projecting portions of the spikes. Such brine produces arapid corrosion of the spikes and the remova1 and replacement of thecorroded spikes represent a considerable item of expense.

Although wooden railway ties now in use are usually treated withcreosote or the like to preserve the same, the creosote does not fullyprotect the portions of the tie into which the spikes are driven.Frequently the wood fibers surrounding the outer end of the bored holesare frayed and more or less spongy because of damage thereto such asthat caused by using a maul in starting screw spikes in such boredholes. Brine and rain will be absorbed by the frayed tie portions andwillenter the tie around the spikes or through old spike holes and willnot only hasten the corrosion of the spike, but will cause early rottingof the tie .interiorly thereof and around the spikes although otherportions of the tie may remain relatively sound. As will be presentlyexplained in greater detail, my invention provides for the applicationof a preservative material in a manner to effectively protect the spikesand adjacent tie portions against the above-mentioned corrosive anddeteriorating inuences.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing I show a conventional rail fastening of a typeto which the present invention can be readily applied with verysuccessful and advantageous results. In this View of the drawing I showa rail lll having a head lila and a base flange lllb. The rail issupported by a tie plate il which rests upon a wooden tie l2. The tieplate has spaced rail-gauging shoulders i3 thereon which are providedwith a plurality of openings it through which cut spikes i5 are driveninto the tie i2. In the rail fastening here shown the tie plate isadditionally secured to the tie iZby the use of screw spikes i6 whichextend into the tie through openings il of the tie plate at pointsspaced outwardly from the shoulders i3. The screw spikes i6 preferablyhave lock washers Mia thereon.

As shown in the drawing, the screw spike i6 is of a conventional formhaving a head i8 provided with a square tool-receiving portion ita, anda stem I9. The stem i9 has a cylindrical portion 19a adjacent the headi8 and a depending portion 20 of relatively reduced size carrying ahelical thread 2i and connected with the cylindrical portion by thetapered section 22.

The cut spike l5 is also of va conventional form having a stem 24 of asubstantially square crosssectional shape and a head 25 which islaterally offset relative to the axis of the stem for overlyingengagement with the rail flange IIIb. As is usual in spikes of thiskind, the lower endv of the stem 24 is beveled or sharpened as indicatedat 28.

In installing the screw spike I6 in accordance with the presentinvention, the wooden tie I2 is bored witha suitable tool to provide asubstantially cylindrical hole 28 therein into which a quantity ofpreservative material 29 is introduced prior to the insertion of thespike into such bored hole. The preservative material 29 is preferably asticky or viscous substance which is insoluble in water and, forexample, can be asphalt, grease, creosote, tar-like material or anyother suitable substance which will protect the tie against rotting andwhich will form a coating on the spike I3 and adjacent surfaces toprotect the same from corrosion. 'The preservative material 29 can besuitably injected or otherwise introduced into the bored hole 28 in anappropriate quantity, or preferably, a frangible capsule 38 containing asubstantially correct quantity of this material can be dropped into thehole 28 prior to the starting of the spike I6 therein. The capsule 30'should be of a size t yfreely enter the hole 28 and is made of arelatively weak material such that the capsule will be readily broken orcrushed by the inner end of the spike I8 to free the preservativesubstance 29 in the bored hole.

The bored hole 28 should be of a size or diameter relative to thereduced stem portion 28 such that a space 3| will be left between thetie and the spike for the material 29 to be forced up-g wardly along thespike as the latter is driven into of such material through therestricted passage SI so that an exudate portion 32 is discharged intothe opening I'I of the tie plate II as shown in Fig. 4. As the spike I 6advances into the tie I2 the tapered section 22 enters the bored hole 28followed by the cylindrical stem portion I8. These tapered andcylindrical portions of the spike. being relatively larger than thebored hole .28. serve to form a closure or plunger which traps to trapand pressurize the material therein, they'v will maintain the materialunder pressure for a sufficient period to cause the material toimpregnate the wood surrounding the bored hole.

The movement of the spike I 6 inwardly to its fully driven positionshown in Fig. 2 also causes the exuded portion 32 of the preservativemateI rial to be squeezed out of the opening I 'I of the tie plate so asto form a coating on the portion of vthe stern which proiects from thetie as well as on adjacent surface portions of the head I8, tie plate IIand spring washer I6a. Thisv coating effectively prevents corrosion ofthe stem and surface portions just referred to. In most instances theexcess material will be squeezed out to form the hole. For example,assuming that the root diameter of the stem portion 20 of the spike I8is approximately five-eighths of an inch, the bored hole 28 should beapproximately elevensixteenths of an inch in diameter, so as to permitthe spike I8 to be readily screwed into the hole 28 and to also providethe intervening space or clearance 3| for the preservative material 29.When the root diameter and bored hole arefof these approximatedimensions a good connection between the spike and tie is obtainedwithout damage to the latter and the passage or space 3| for thepreservative substance will be a relatively restricted passage. Thequantity of the preservative material 29 should be such in relation tothe depth and the diameterl of the hole and the root diameter of thespike that the material`will be subjected to considerable pressure bythe advancing spike. This pressure will cause some of the material to beforced or exuded outwardly through the restricted passage 3l to form aprotective coating on portions of the spike which project from the tieand some of the material will also be forced into and impregnate thefibers of the wooden tie surrounding the bored hole 28. 1

In Fig. 3 of the drawing I show the spike I8 partially driven into thebored hole 28 to the point where the inner end of the spike has engagedthe capsule 30 and is about to crush the same against the portion of thetie located at the inner end of the bored hole. In Fig. 4 I show thespike I8 advanced further into the opening .28 and in the position wherethe capsule 30 has been crushed and the material 29 has been liberatedinto the inner end of the bored hole and is being subjected to pressureby the spike. The initial pressure thus applied to the material 29 bythe advancing spike causes the upward lIOW a bead IIa outside of thewasher lia which will prevent brine and water from entering the open'ing of the tie plate. Some of the preservative material will also enterthe crack between the tie plate and tie.

In Figs. 6and 7 I show the cut spike I5 being driven into a previouslybored hole 33 of the tie I2. The bored hole 33 is preferably acylindrical hole of a size relative to the dimensions of the square stem24 such that the spike will have adequate holding power in the tie andsuch that arcuate spaces 34 will extend along the fiat faces of the stemto form restricted passages for the outward flow of the preservativematerial 29. Fig. 6 shows a quantity of the material 29 introduced inbulk form into the bored hole 33-and shows the cut spike I5 drivenpartway into the hole 33 to the point where its lower end is about toengage the preservative material. Fig. 7 shows the spike I5 drivenfurther into the tie and in the position where the lower end of thespike has engaged the substance 29. The quantity of the preservativematerial shouldl be such in relation to the diameter and depth of thebored hole 33 andthe cross-sectional area of the stem 24, thatthematerial will be subjected to -suflicient pressure by the spike toforce some of the material outwardly along the passages 34 into theopening I4 of the tie plate I I and also to force some of the materialinto the tie poriions2 surrounding the hole 33 as indicated in In rig. 21 show the spike Is in its fuuy driven position at which time the exudedportion of the preservative material will have formed a coating on theportion` of the stem which projects above the surface of the tie I2 aswell as on the adjacent surfaces of the tie plate and the head 25 ofthespike. This coating effectively protects these portions against thecorrosive action of brine andbther substances. Usually the excessportion of the preservative will be squeezed out ing in which portionsof a wooden 'tiefer the like and the'projecting portions of a spike orother fastening member used with such wooden member are effectivelytreated or coated with a preservative material for preventingydeterioration from contact with brine, rain oro'ther substances. It willbe seen also that the introduction of the preservative material into thebored hole of the wooden member prior to the insertion of the spike orfastening member, as above described, provides a simple and expedientmanner for obtaining the desired application of the preservativematerial to the portions and surfaces which are to be protected.

While I have illustrated and described my novel fastening and protectivefeature in more or less detail, it will be understood, of course, that Ido not wish to be vcorrespondingly limited but regard my invention asincluding a'll changes and A modifications' coming within the spirit ofvtheinventon and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a connection of thecharacter described, a wooden member having a bored hole therein, aplate having an opening overlying said hole, a fastening member having astem portion driven into said hole and having a projecting portion hole,a fastening member extending into said hole through the opening of saidmetal part for connecting the latter with said wooden member, and apreservative material in said hole and coating the portion of thefastening member which Vextends through said metal part, thev initialvolume of said preservative material, the sizeof said hole and the sizeof said fastening member being such that a portion of said material isforced from said hole during the driving of the fastening member so asto form said coating on the fastening member, said preservative materialbeing initially confined in a frangible capsule of a size to freelyenter said bored hole and adapted to be ruptured by the fastening memberto liberate said material into the inner end o'f .saidiiole, saidfastening member having a tapered portion adapted to close and entersaid hole for confining and pressurizing said material to cause the sameto impregnate the portion of the wooden member surrounding said hole.

4. The method of making fastenings protected against deterioration,which comprises boring a hole in a wooden member, introducingpreservative material into said hole, providing a headed `fasteningmember having a tapered stem which increases in size toward the head,driving said fastening member into said hole and first causing some ofthe material to ilow out of the open end of said hole around saidfastening member to form a coating on the latter and then causingextending through the opening of said plate, and

a preservative material in said hole and alsov forming a coating on thefastening member including that portion of said member which projectsfrom the wooden member and extends through the opening of said plate,said material having an initial volume to partially fill the inner endof the bored hole and the dimensions of said stem portion and bored holebeing such that the driving of said fastening member causes some of saidmaterial to be displaced to form said coating, the portion of thefastening member at and adjacent the junction of said stem portion withsaid projecting portion being of larger size than the bored hole andadapted `to be forced into the latter for trapping and pressurizing saidmaterial to cause the same to impregnate the wood surrounding the boredhole.

2. In combination with a wooden-railway tie having a bored hole therein,a tie plate having an opening overlying said bored hole, a screw spikehaving a head and a threaded stem extending through the tie plateopening and engaging in said bored hole, .and a preservative material insaid hole and coating the stem of the spike including the portionthereof which extends through the tie plate, said material having aninitial volume to partiallyr fill the inner end of the bored hole andthe dimensions of said threaded stem and bored hole being such as toprovide a restricted passage therebetween for .said material and suchthat the driving of the 'the material remaining in said hole to besubjected to pressure for forcing the material intol said wooden member.

5. The method of making fastenings protected Aagainst deterioration,which comprises boring a hole in a wooden member, introducingpreservative material into said hole, driving a headed fastening memberinto said hole and subjecting said material to pressure so as to forcesome of the material out of the open end of said hole around saidfastening member to form a coating on the latter, said fastening memberhaving a stem portion of relatively increased size adjacent its head,andl advancing the fastening member to move said increased stem portioninto said hole to subject said material to increased pressure forforcing some of the material into the Wood surrounding said bore.

6. The method of making fastenings protected against deterioration,which comprises boring a hole in a wooden member, inserting into saidhole a frangible capsule containing al preservative material, providinga screw spike having a head and a tapered enlargement adjacent the head,driving the fastener into said hole to form a fastening and crushingsaid capsule against the portion of the wooden member located at theinner end of the hole to liberate said preservative material into theinner end of the hole, and driving said fastener further into said holefor completing the fastening and causing said enlargement to close andenter the outer end of the hole for confining and pressurizing saidmaterial to cause the same to impregnate the wood surrounding the hole.

'7. In a method of making rail fastenings of the character described,the steps of inserting a frangible capsule containing preservativematerial into a preformed opening of a Wooden tie, providing a screwspike having a head and a tapered enlargement adjacent the head, and

driving said spike into-said opening for forming a wooden member havinga bored hole therein, v -a metal part having an openingoverlying said afastening and in the same operation rupturing said capsule and causingsaid tapered enlargement to enter the outer end of said opening forconfining and pressurizing said material in the opening and maintainingthe material under pressure for a period of time sufcient to enable thematerial to impregnate the portions of the tie adjacent said opening. i4

8. In a connection of the character described, a wooden member having abored hole therein, a plate having an opening overlying said bored hole,a fastening member having a stem portion driven into said hole andhaving a projecting portion extending through the opening of said plate,and a preservative material in said hole andlso forming a coating on thefastening member including that portion of the fastening member whichprojects from the wooden member and extends through the opening of saidplate, said material having an initial volume to partially fill theinner end of the bored hole and being initially contained in a capsuleof a size to freely enter the bored hole and the dimensions of said stemportion and bored hole being such that the driving of said fasteningmember ruptures said capsule and causes some of said material to bedisplaced to form said coating, the portion of the fastening member atand adjacent the junction of said stem portion with said projectingportion being of a larger size than the bored 30 hole and adapted to beforced into the latter for trapping and pressurizing said material tocause the same to impregnate the wood surrounding the bored hole.

9. In combination with a wooden railway tie having a bored hole therein.a tie plate having an opening overlying said bored hole, a screw spikehaving a head and a threaded stem extending through the tie plateopening and engaging in said bored hole, and a preservative material insaid hole and coating the stem of the spike including the portionthereof which extends through the tie plate, said material having aninitial volume to partially fill the inner end of the bored hole andbeing initially contained in a capsule of a size to freely enter thebored hole and the dimensions of said threaded stem and' bored holebeing such as to provide a restricted passage therebetween for saidmaterial and such that the driving of the spike in said hole rupturessaid capsule and causes some of said material to be displaced throughsaid passage to form said coating, said stem having tapered andcylindrical sections adjacent said head which are of a larger size thansaid bored hole and are adapted to be forced into the latter during thedriving of the spike for trapping and pressurizing said material tocause the same to impregnate the wood surrounding the bored hole.

JACOB RUSH SNYDE'R.

